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(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

-W-1H KNIGHT. ELECTRIC RAILWAY TROLLEY 8,622. Patented N ov. 14, 1893,.

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{N0 Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. 1-1.. KNIGHT.

. ELEGTRIG RAILWAY TROLLEY. No. 508,622. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

WITNEEEEE I INVEN'I'DR UNITED STATES PATENT Orrren.

WALTER H. KNIGHT, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-RA! LWAY TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 508,622, dated November 14, 1893. Application filed August 10, 1888. Serial No. 282,410. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER H. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oontact'Devices for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways in which the main supply conductor is suspended above the road-way, and it consistsin certain devices for maintaining a constant connection between the supply wire and a vehicle on the roadway.

More specifically, the invention consists in attaching to a vehicle, a light, flexible rod eX-' and 7 are enlarged details of the same and.

Fig. 8 shows the invention with therod attached to the side of the car.

In the drawings the suspended supply conductors,'of which there are one or two, according; to the system employed, are represented by A.

B represents the flexible rod carrying two spring wires 0 and .D which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, form extensions beyond the rod toform a flexible spring tip, being connected at intervals by ferrules E of insulating material.

F is a grooved contact shoe fitting over the top of conductors A and attached to each of the wires 0 and D. These rubbing shoes are held in engagement with the respective conductors when in operative position by pressure, due to the weight of the rod and the spring wires 0, D. The rod B is hollow, and through it pass the insulated conducting wires 0', D, leading to the motor, which, it will be understood, are in circuit respectively with the spring extensions 0, D. At its lower end is a socket Gr provided with a handle by which the contact device may be moved into and out of operative position from the car. This socket has a transverse insulating tube H in which are two metallic plugs K connected respectively to the ends of wires O and D. Two lugs I upon the car are adapted to fit into the opposite ends of tube H to make electrical connection with plugs K and at the same time to hold the rod 13 in connection with the vehicle, as will be'seen in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6 these plugs are shown in detail and while one of lugs I is rigid, the other is on the end of a pivot piece L normally held by spring 0 into its place in the socket formed by the end of tube H. To connect rod B to the car it is only necessary to take the handle on socket G and spring it into place with thelugs I in the sockets of tube H. It willbe apparent that the terminals of the wires O and D are, by this device secured against any accidental contact with the hand of the operator.

In practice ithas been found advisable to attach a device of this kind, where in general there is a rod to be held in contact with the supply wire, upon the main body of the car, rather than from the hood over the platform. In such cases, however, it has only been accessible by'having the operator climb on to the top of the car, thereby injuring the roof.

As shown in Fig. 8, the contact rod in my device is attached to the body of the car but at one side, so as to be readily accessible from the ground, or from the platform.

My device is easily maintained in position upon the wire whatever the speed or vibration of I the car may be; and it is also readily thrown into position from the car even in the night, when the supply wire is practically invisible.

I In the form shown in Fig. 3 where two conductors are employed, the arms 0 and D have a natural tendency to spread apart adistance much greater than the distance between the two supply wires. The poles, how- 5 In the form shown in Fig.8, where one conductor is employed, it is only necessary to lift the pole against the wire and then drop the contact piece into position, the rod being guided by the wire.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a suspended supply conductor, of an electrically propelled vehicle and an intermediate contact device, consisting of a trailing rod attached at one end to the car by a transverse pivot, and carrying at its opposite end a contact device, bearing upon the-upper side of the supply conductor.

2. The combination of a conductor suspended over the track and an electrically propelled vehicle, with an intermediate contact device, consisting of a rearwardly inclined rod longer than the distance between the car and the conductor, and having one end connected with, and movable relatively to the vehicle, while its outer end has attached thereto and supported thereby a contact piece, making trailing contact with the upper surface of the supply conductor.

3. The combination in an electric railway of a rod and a contact piece attached to its outer end and supported thereby in trailing contact with the upper surface of a suspended supply conductor, the rod being loosely connected to the car at its lower end, whereby its weight tends to hold the contact piece down against the conductor.

4. A contact arm connected to a car and having a spring end portion and a contact piece attached to and supported thereby, engaging the upper side of the supply conductor.

5. The combination with the suspended supply conductor and an electrically propelled Vehicle, of an intermediate contact device, consisting of a flexible rod, and a contact piece carried by the rod and springpressed into engagement with the supply conductor in a direction transverse to the line of way.

6. In an electric railway, the combination with an elevated supply conductor, of an electrically propelled vehicle and an intermediate contact device, consisting of a flexible rod attached at one end to the vehicle, and having at the other end a contact device bearing on the upper surface of the supply wire.

7. The combination of the supply conductors and rod B connected to a car, with the two diverging extensions from the rod, extending up between the conductors and carrying contact pieces, engaging the upper sides of the supply conductors, as set forth.

8. The combination with two suspended supply conductors, of a contact rod provided with and supporting two independent insulated contact-making pieces engaging the upper sides of the conductors.

9. The combination of two suspended supply conductors, with a contact device consisting of a rod and two independent contact pieces carried by the rod, and maintained with spring pressure against their respective conductors.

10. In an electric railway a contact device for engagement with the supply conductor, having a readily detachable plug and socket connection, with bearings upon which the device moves, substantially as described.

11. In an electric railway, the combination of two parallel suspended supply conductors placed side by side, of an electrically propelled vehicle, an intermediate contact device consisting of a rod attached to the vehicle at one end and at the other end provided with two spring arms having a spreading tendency holding them a distance apart greater than the distance between the two supply wires.

12. In an electric railway, the combination with an elevated supply conductor, of an electrically propelled vehicle, and an intermediate contact device, consisting of a flexible rod attached at one end to the vehicle and having at the other end a rubbing contact shoe, bearing on the upper surface of the supply conductor.

13. In a contact device for an elevated supply conductor, the combination with two intermediate conductors G, D, of a socket, consisting of an insulating tube, having metallic plugs in opposite ends, with conducting lugs, adapted to fit into opposite ends of the tube, substantially as described.

14. In an electric railway the combination with an elevated supply conductor, of an electrically propelled vehicle and an intermediate contact device, consisting of a flexible rod 13, having two spring wires C D, forming an extension thereof, and provided at their outer extremities with two contact pieces adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the supply wire.

WALTER I-I. KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

ROBT. W. BLACKWELL, J ULIEN M. ELLIOT. 

